HTF REVIEW: LOST - the complete first season - ADDICTIVELY RECOMMENDED!!! (1 Viewer)

[John*D]

I ordered the set online about 2 weeks ago b/c of the $10 digital g-certificate offer. It was also stated on the site that you would get the DISC if you ordered before September 10th *while supplies last.

I received the set today in the mail. It didn't have the BONUS DISC so I'm going to BB tomorrow to exchange it for one that does have the disc.

I could have done the in store pickup, but I hadn't planned on going to bb this week, but now I am!

 

[Kate*H]

The set is amazing, and I already found an easter egg (I never find these things...) on the second disc, go to the episode selection, and once there, go down to the bottom of the screen and press to the left, and you'll get :the full transmission of Rousseau's distress call

I have a feeling that if you let it loop long enough something else will happen, but I haven't bothered to mess around with it yet.

 

[Pete Battista]

I ordered Lost: Season 1 yesterday... is a completely blind buy for me.... though it does look like the type of show I like.

I ordered mine from DDD... not being to worried about the bonus disc.... figure that even if I ordered it from bestbuy.com I wouldn't be very likely to get the bonus disc anyway... and I am not able to get to the local best buy at this time.

I just skimmed over this review and thread as I didn't want to take any chance of even slight spoilers. I really want to go into this show completely fresh. I will also be sure to save all extras for after I finish the set as well.

Is there spoilers I have to be careful of on the packaging itself?

 

[TravisR]

Maybe you have to let it run for 16 years for something else to happen

 

[Jason Harbaugh]

Mine came with two of the three stacked spindles broken, and I took it back to BB. No problems exchanging it. Just handed my broken package, they gave me a new one, no paperwork. Of course I checked it there to make sure I didn't get stung again, but all was good. Still no insert though. :frowning:

So far I'm through disc 4. The episodes go pretty fast. I forgot that on tv the shows are padded with 20 minutes of commercials.

What are the other easter eggs? I've only viewed the LOTR one and now I'll check for the one Kate mentioned above.

 

[Gord Lacey]

It runs for about 2 mins then goes back to the menu.

Gord

 

[MikeWill]

Do not read the insert with the episode descriptions as it contains major spoilers!

 

[Pete Battista]

Thanks Mike...
I will be sure not to read the insert

 

[Christopher D]

I've actually got a couple of beefs with this set. First, the forced trailers at the beginning of disc 1 kind of mess up the karma of this release, and I shouldn't have to press "menu" to skip them.

Second, the pilot is broken into two parts -- it was originally aired (and actually reaired at least once) in its entirety. Again, the credits break up the flow.

So, while excellent, it's not perfect.

 

[pitchman]

As mentioned in my earlier post, according to the original Touchstone press release that announced the Lost DVD, the set was supposed to include the "...original, never-before-seen extended uncut version of the 2-hour pilot." In J.J. and Damon's pilot commentary, they make specific references to scenes that were cut from the televised version. IMO, it seems like it would have been possible to incorporate this material into an alternate "seamless branching" version of the pilot that could have restored the excised footage. Oh, well. It is still a great set and certainly one of the best TVonDVD releases ever!

 

[Matt_Vaudrin]

What's the LOTR one?
how do you find it??

 

[Ryan_Guah]

There's also an easter egg on Disc 7. You need to line it up so you can press left on the remote, so the dot is next to "Disc 7", and hit enter. You'll see a 22 second alternate credit sequence. It's pretty crappy, and I think it was only made to originally sell the pilot.

 

[Mark Talmadge]

I just picked up the set and have finished watching the first disc and I have to say that I have never been so disappointed with such a less-than-mediocre series.

Before everyone gets excited, there are a lot of shows that I enjoy. Yet the entire high point of the first disc was the song being sang by Joe Purdy "Wash Away." While the acting was top notch the direction of these episodes on the first disc seemed too drug out and took too long to resolve.

I'm hoping that the direction of these episodes picks up with the second disc.

 

[TravisR]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but if you think Lost is 'less-than-mediocre', what current TV show is good in your opinion? Once again, I say that with all due respect (if you don't like it, you don't like it) but I can't imagine what shows you are watching if you consider Lost less than mediocre.

If you thought Disc One was dissapointing, then you might as well sell your set now. To me, those episodes are some of the best episodes of any show in years so if you didn't like those ones, your opinion probably won't change.

 

[Josh_HI]

Hmmm that's funny, I have watched LOST since episode 1 and I thought I remember them showing Pilot 2 the second week...

 

[Mark Talmadge]

Travis, you say everyone is entitled to their own opinion yet you criticize me for saying that the first disc of episodes were less-than-mediocre.

Listen, I watch quite a bit of television. Desperate Housewives, Battlestar Galactica, Stargate SG-1, Farscape, Alias, Smallville, 24, Dawson's Creek, O.C., ER, Law and Order and many more.

My problem with the first few episodes is that the director seems to drag out the storyline to the point where it's stretched so thin and it seems to buckle under its own weight. This pre-synopsis brief covers the first three episodes. While the fourth episode on disc 1 and the first episode on disc two started to get better it feels like the direction that JJ Abrahms went with during the pilot episode (#1-2) and episode 3 seemed a bit watered down and convuluted.

With episodes 4 and 5 (I haven't watched the others yet) there seems to be a shift in the direction (which causes me to think there was a dramatic shift in the direction of the show). Whatever the case, there was definite change of pace beyond the first three episodes which were the worst. The constant flashbacks were enough to give me a headache as I kept reaching for the excedrin. (Just where did this guy learn to direct a series or hire them?)

I'm quite versed with writing scripts as well as novels and this form of storytelling is not only confusing to the reader/viewer but is also a drastic turn-off to many entertainment fans. Flashbacks are a wonderful story element but when you rely too heavily on that effect you take away from the purpose of the story itself. The dependence of these flashbacks only detracts from the series itself and doesn't allow the story to develope on its own. Oh, and let's not forget the very major offense, ripping off one of the best classic television shows of all time ... Gilligan's Island. Does Abrahms even have an original thought for a series?

The only thing he did was change some of the elements and update it for the 21st century.

But, if the direction that he used for the fourth and fifth episodes is any indication about the remainder of the series I can hardly wait to see what happens next ...

 

[BradD]

This statement couldn't be further from the truth. You want proof. Just look at the ratings. The show has it's faults, but mediocre (or less than) it's not.

 

[Malcolm R]

Popularity seldom equals quality.

I don't agree with "Lost" being less-than-mediocre, but I also don't agree that good ratings, for any show, equals "great television."

There are a lot of great shows that were cancelled due to low ratings.

 

[BradD]

Whole nother subject.

I agree great shows get canceled (rarely), however I don't believe any top 10 show is mediocre.

 

[Gord Lacey]

It was intended to air one one night, but before the premiere it was broken up into two parts, then the whole thing aired on the Saturday after the second part aired. The version of the DVD would be the one most viewers saw.

Gord